and incourage the disciples to constancie namely that although their faith was obscure and base yet notwithstandinge they were chosen of the Lord as the fyrste fruites that at the lengthe of that contemptible and base beginning a newe Church might spring and aryse which church shold be a conquerer euen against hel gates as we shal here an on I vvyll buyld my congregation M. The latten translation hathe Ecclesiam meam my Churche whiche is a Gréeke worde and signifieth a congregation or conuocatiō of people The which word the threscore ten interpretours vsed so often as in the olde testamente they red this woorde Cahal or Edah which two wordes signifie a congregation flocke or multitude As in the .xxii. Psalme In the myddeste of the congregation wyl I prayse thee And in the fyftene chapter of the boke of nombers there is mention made of this woorde congregation thre tymes at the leaste And in Deutronomye it is sayde Into the congregation of the lorde c. Moreouer in Exodus the foure and thirtie chapter we haue this woord congregation and in the seuenth Psalme The whiche woorde the threscore and ten interpretours sometime cal by the name of Synagogge and somtime by the name of Churche But in this place Christ calleth euery congregation flocke corporation and societie of faythefull men hys churche whom God hath chosen to euerlastinge life in the same saithe hope and loue of the spirite in what place of the world soeuer they be This Church was at all tymes as in the tyme of Adam Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob Moyses Dauid and in the tyme of al the Prophetes although it were but small There was a Churche of the Iewes and of the Gentiles and there is a Churche or congregation as yet at this day of the faythfull which beleue the same saluation and remission of synnes by Christ althoughe hee was made man and suffered There hath bene alwaies but one Churche the headde whereof is Christ as the Apostel Paule teachethe in his epistell to the Ephesians Oftentimes the Church is taken for the Seniors of the Church as in this place If he beare not them tell the Church if he heare not the Churche let let him be vnto thee as an Ethnike or a Publicane M. Let them therefore see which at this day boast and glorye in the title of the Churche beinge in dede ennemies of the Church what head they haue and of whose congregation they are mēbers The woulfe loueth the shepefoldes but not as a shepe not as the pastor but as a wulfe We must also note this that Christe saide not to Peter I will builde thy Churche but my Churche that we may know the church to belōg to Christ and not to Peter For Peter is not lorde of the Churche but Christ Christ saithe that his shepe are euery where And the Apostels call those that are Christiās the flocke of the lord not their owne flocke they acknowledge them selues to be mynisters and not lordes Herupon the Apostell exhorted the byshops to raigne ouer their flocke not as lordes but as geuers of good insaumple to their flocke The church therfore belongeth to Christ not vnto any one man It is geuen to him of the father of whom as a sonne he hath receiued al thinges with ful power And then beyonde the right of the fyrste begotten be redemed his Church or inheritance with a greate price euen with his own preciouse bloud And in an other place it is saide Ye are boughte with a great price be not therefore the seruantes of men Also in an other place Christ dyed for all men that they whiche lyue might not liue vnto thē selues but vnto hym which died for them And again No man liueth to him selfe and no man dyeth vnto him self for whether we liue or die we are the lordes for Christe dyed rose againe that he might be lorde bothe of the quicke and the deade They greatly erre therefore whiche seke for rule in the flocke and congregation of the lorde and also whiche refusynge to submytte them selues to the power and domynion of Chryst laye their heades vnder the feete of men And the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it Z. The gates of Citties for the moste parte are very stronge and haue percullices to set before them C. Therfore by the name of Gates all kynd of force and munition is noted Z. and by hel Gates all Satanicall and deuelishe power is to be vnderstode These promises are great and moste firme whiche do pacifie and comforte the consciences of the faythful when they consider them selues to be so setteled and graunted that they knowe for a suertie howe they are able to resist all the power of Sathan Accordynge to the saying of saincte Paule There is no condemnatiō to those that are in Christe Iesu And If God be with vs who can be agaynst vs who spared not his owne sonne but gaue hym for vs howe then should he not with hym geue vs all thinges Who shall saye any thynge to the charge of Goddes electe c. C. Althoughe the pronoune it may be referred eyther to the rocke to fayth or to the Churche yet notwithstandynge the latter sence doth better agree namely that the firme state of the Church shal stande immoueable and inuincible against all the power of Sathan and that because the treweth of God shall for euer indure Also to this sentence agreeth the saying of Iohn This is the victory whiche ouercommeth the worlde euen oure faythe M. Christians therefore holde them faste by the trewe rocke beinge so firmely buylded vpon the same that nothinge can ouerthrowe them For this is a most sure and certaine promise that they which are vnited in Christ and acknowledge hym to be theyr mediatoure shall euen to the worldes ende be defended frō all harme For that which is spoken of the body of the Church pertaineth to euery particuler member of the same in that they be one in Christ A. According to the saying of our sauiour Christ I knowe my shepe they followe me I geue vnto them eternall lyfe and they shal neuer perishe neyther shal any mā plucke them out of my hande Notwithstandyng we are here taught that so lōg as the churche is vpon the earthe it shall neuer be quiete but styll subiecte to reproche and ignominie For in that the Church is sayd to haue the preemynence ouer Sathan it is euident that Sathan shall stil seke to destroy it But let vs by this comfortable voyce of Christe glorye and tryumphe ouer him voyde of all feare and care seynge that Christ is our captayne and conquerer 19 And I wyll geue vnto thee the keies of the kyngedome of heauen and what so euer thou byndest in earthe shall be bounde in heauen and what so euer thou lousest in earthe shal be loused in heauen And I vvyll geue vnto thee
the keyes C. Here our sauiour Christe beginneth nowe to intreate of the publike office or of the Apostelship the dignitie whereof is adorned with a double tytle for Christ sayth that the mynisters of the Gospell are as it were porters of the kingdome of heauen because they carry the keyes of the same and that is the fyrst Then he saith that they haue power to binde and louse not only in earth but also in heauen and this is the seconde This similitude of the keyes pertayneth very aptelye to the office of teachinge B. The Metaphor is herupon taken because the chiefe power of the house and of the cittie is in his power and rule whiche hath the chiefe custody vse of the keyes for that he maye let into the house or cittie whom he wil and seclude and kepe out whom he list Hereupon the lorde when he promysed to Eliakim the sonne of Helkia the seruaunte of kinge Ezechias the chiefe power in the kinges courte in Hierusalem he spake thus by the Prophete Esay The keye of the house of Dauid wyl I lay vppon his shulder so that he shall open and no man shall shut He shall shut no mā shal open For there he prophesied of this Eliakim speakinge of Sobna which was the chiefe gouernour of the kinges house thus In that day shall I cal my seruant Eliakim the sonne of Helkia And with thy garmentes wyll I clothe him with thy girdell will I strengthen hym thy power wil I commit into his hande and he shal be a father of such as dwel in Hierusalem in the house of Iuda The same metaphor the lord vsed in an other place saying Woo vnto you Lawyers for ye haue taken away the keie of knowledge ye entered not in your selues and them that came in ye forbad that is to say ye withstode the doctrine of the kingedome of God lest it shoulde be broughte out to thē that they mighte be partakers of the same C. Christ therefore sayth that the Scribes Phariseies which were interpretours of the law had the keye of knowledge or the key of the kingdome of heauen for we know that the gate of lyfe is opened no otherwise vnto vs then by the worde of God. Whereupon it followeth that the key is geuen into the hāde of the ministers therof Notwithstādinge it is demaūded why the lord promised that he wold geue that vnto Peter which he semed to haue geuē before at the making of the Apostels But this questiō is answered before where we said that the twelue were but forerunners for the time so that when they returned vnto Christe againe they had finished the race ende of their calling But after that Christe rose againe from death then they were apointed ordinary teachers of the church in this respecte this honor pertained vnto thē euer after Bu. Therfore he saith here I wil geue not I haue geuen He promiseth that he will geue the keies he geueth them not But after his resurrecttion he sayd vnto them Peace be vnto you As my father sent me euē so send I you also And whē he had said these woordes he breathed on them and saith vnto thē receyue ye the holy ghoste Who so euers synnes ye remit they are remitted vnto them And who so euers sinnes ye retayne they are retayned In the which wordes As my father sente me c. there is a cōparison not an equalitie For Christ was sent that he might be the redemption of the whole world the Apostels were not so sent but onely to preach But as Christ was sent of the father for the saluatiō of the whole world so the Apostels were sent to prech this saluation that they which beleue their preachinge might be saued as if he had heard Christ him selfe as he saith in another place He which heareth you heareth me Moreouer he saith not They shal be geuē but I will geue by the which words Christe challengeth all this power of the kingdome of heauen to him selfe as lord in so much that he might cōmyt the same to whom it pleased hym For here it maketh no great matter not only who receiueth but of whom any thing is receiued And vvhat so euer thou bindest in earthe C The seconde metaphor or symilitude pertayneth properlye to note the remyssion of synnes For Christe delyueringe vs by his Gospell from the euerlastinge paine of deathe louseth the snares and fetters of maledyction with the whiche we were held bounde Therfore he declareth that the doctrine of the Gospell was ordeyned to louse our bandes that being loused in earthe by the voice and testimony of mē we mighte also in deede be loused in heauen B. But this metaphor is taken of this that the Prophetes do preache that the office of christ is to louse peculiarly those that are bound So Christ him selfe speaketh vnto Paule sayinge I wyll sende thée to the Gentiles to open theyr eyes that they may be tourned from darkenes to lighte and from the power of Sathan vnto God that they maye receyue forgeuenesse of synnes and inheritance amonge those which are sanctified by faith Where he expoundeth that to be the power of the keyes which consisteth in the remission and retayninge of synnes Bu. The Apostelles did neuer after any other maner louse or binde As for example Repent you saith the Apostell Peter of your sinnes and be baptised euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of synnes and ye shall receiue the gifte of the holy ghoste Thus Peter vsed the keies that were cōmitted vnto hym thus he loused in earth promissynge remission of synnes by the woord of Christ to them that beleue Yea and Chryste ratified and confirmed this message and preachinge of Peter for to them that confessed theyr synne and trusted to his mercie he remytted as Peter had promysed Also the Iayler of the pryson sayde to Paule and Sylas Syrs what muste I do to be saued and they saide beleeue on the Lorde Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saued and all thy houssholde Beholde the Apostelles do louse him that is bounde forgeuyng hym his synnes and that by the keyes by the preachynge of the Gospell the whiche preachynge because he beleued the lord pronounceth him to be loused in heauen C. But because a greate many doo not onely wickedly reiecte the delyueraunce offered vnto them but also by theyr obstinacie do bryng more greuouse iudgemente to them selues the power of bindynge also and the commaundemente of the Gospell is geuen to the ministers Of the whiche matter we haue an example in the Actes of the Apostelles Bu. The Iewes saith sainct Luke were full of indignation and spake agaynste those thynges whiche were spoken of Paule raylinge on it Then Paule and Barnabas waxed bolde and said It was meete that the worde of God should first haue ben preached to you But seinge ye put it from you and
right that pertaineth vnto him to his father but rather to the ende he might bringe the greatter maiestie to his woorde For as in the syxtene chapter goinge before hee went not about to stablishe euery doctrine but that onelye whiche came out of his mouth Euen so in this place he saith not that al iudgemēt shall be firme and stable but that iudgemente onely whiche procedeth from his members whereof he is the headde Wherupon it followeth that men are in no poynte preiudiciall vnto God when they pronounce nothing but that whiche commeth out of his mouthe and do onely seeke to execute that faithfully whiche he commaundeth For althoughe Christ be the onelye iudge of the whole worlde yet notwithstanding he wyl haue the ministers of his woorde to be proclaymers of his Iustice and the Churche also to set forth his iudgement And so it commeth to passe that he derogateth nothing from hym selfe in vsyng the ministery of mē but byndethe and lowseth him selfe notwithstandinge Bu. Herby it is euident howe vnorderly yea howe falsely many gather of this place that the Church can do al thinges specially that it can make lawes as concernyng religion the which whosoeuer despiseth despiseth the lawes of god But truely Christ speaketh not here as concernynge the power to make deuine lawes but as concernyng Christian and brotherly admonition as concernyng exhortation reprehention correction taking away offences A. and of the Iudgement of the Church that which ought to followe the woorde of God in al thinges that it may be not only humane but deuine Iudgement Question C. Notwithstandinge here ariseth a question That seinge the Church doth suffer many Hypocrites and dothe absolue also manye whiche do but fayne repentance whether suche are absolued in heauen or no Answere We must answere that Christe doth not pronounce absolution to any but to such as vnfaynedly and truely reconcile them selues to the Churche For he sekinge to comforte the weake and trembling consciences and to take away all feare pronounceth that whosoeuer haue synned are receyued agayne into the fauoure of the Churche are delyuered from al gilte and absolued before God. For he appoynted this vnto vs as a pledge of his heauēly grace whiche pertayneth in no pointe vnto Hypocrites which peruert the pure vse of reconciliation This bryngeth no small comforte to the godlye to the increasynge of theyr hope when that they heare their synnes to be put away before God and his angelles so soone as they haue obtayned pardone at the handes of the Churche In the other parte the minde of Christ is nothing ambiguouse and doubtfull For Christe to the ende he might abate the pride of obstinate persons which deny them selues to be vnder the rule of men and alwayes appeale to the tribunall seate of God pronounceth that the dampnation pronounced of those whom they so despyse is ratifyed before God and his angels in heauen In the meane time he encourageth his mynisters to execute Iust seuerytie least they be discouraged at their wicked obstinacie whiche contemne and reiecte discipline Whereby wee maye beholde and see howe that the iurisdiction of the spirituall Churche whiche ponisheth syn by the woorde of the lorde is moste excellente and a reamedy against corruption a preseruatiue of health the foundation of order and the bonde of vnitie Therefore when the Churche dothe excommunicate manifest and open adulterers whoremasters theeues murtherers sediciouse persons periurers false-witnesse bearers obstinate persons and suche like whiche beinge admonished of their faltes do make a ieste at God his Iudgemēt they vsurpe nothing to them selues without authoritie but vse their power and rule cōmytted vnto theim by god Finally least any man shoulde despise this iudgemente of the Churche or make small accompt that they are depriued the company of faythefull men the lorde openlye declareth that their iudgemente is nothinge elles but the settinge forthe of his Iudgement that the same is established and confirmed in heauen whiche they do in earthe For they haue the worde of the lorde by the which they may condēne the peruerse and obstinate they haue the woorde of the lorde by the which they may receiue the penitent into fauour againe And they cannot erre nor swarue from the iudgement of God because they iudge not but by the law of God whiche is not vncertayne or any earthly opinion but the holy wyl of God and a deuine oracle Herby also we may sée how folyshely the Papistes wrest this presente place to maintaine theyr counterfaite authoritie whiche was nothing els but tiranny It is most sure and certayne that authoritie to excommunicate was committed to the Church but whether any one mā not called by the church but created by the horned and monstruouse beast whiche sendethe forthe at hys owne wyll and pleasure vayne blastes of excommunication whether any such I say haue any aucthoritie by the word of God there is no doubt for he hath not For it is euident that the lawful gouernment of the Church was committed not onely to the Clergye or ministers of the woorde but also to certaine of the layty as to maiestrates which should be iudges of the manners of the people Yet notwithstandinge they being not contented with this impudēcie go about farther to proue out of this place as we towched before that what burthens so euer they lay vpon mennes shoulders they oughte to beare it We wyll not say that they beinge mortall ennemies of the Church vsurpe and take vnto them selues by vyolence the power authoritie permytted vnto the Church onely we say that they abuse this place of Scripture not vnderstandinge the meaninge of our sauioure Christ With no lesse madnes and foolishnes also they go aboute by this place to defende their Auriculer confession But so vaine and friuolouse are their resons that they deserue not in this place any confutation 19 Agayne I say vnto you that if two of you agree in earthe vpon any manner of thing whatsoeuer they desire they shall haue it of my father whiche is in heauen Agayne I say vnto you M. Some olde Greeke bookes haue Agayne verely I saye vnto you In this woorde Agayne there is a confirmatiō if wee adde vnto it Verely it wyll be a double confirmation as if he should haue sayd It shal not be onely confirmed and ratified in heauen if ye excōmunicate any man but moreouer I say vnto you if ye pray for a sinner vnto God he wil heare you not onelye the vniuersall Churche but also twoo if they with one consente praye faythfully C. Furthermore hee teacheth that God wyll not onely geeue his spirite of counsel wisedome to those that aske it but also wyl brynge to passe that whatsoeuer they shal do by his word shall want neyther power nor effecte But he ioynyng consent and agremente with prayer teacheth howe soberly and reuerently the faythful ought to behaue them selues in publique assemblies The synner
defende his Churche but then hee shall openlye sit vppon his tribunall seate that hee maye stablishe perfect order in Heauen and in earthe that hee maye prostrate his ennemyes vnder his feete and that he maye gather his faithful into the society of the Heauenlye and blessed life yea then it shall appeare in deede wherefore the kingdome of Heauen is committed vnto hym of the father In his glorye M. Hee doth so discribe the quality of his seconde comminge that hee declareth the same to be farre vnlike the first in the which hee was then In the first comminge hee appeared base in the forme of a seruaunte In the seconde hee shall appeare glorious in the forme of the kinge of all kinges and iudges In the first comminge hee was subiect to reproche and ignominye in the latter comminge hee shal appeare in glorye In the first comminge hee appeared weake In the latter comminge hee shal appeare with Heauenly power In the first comminge hee was subiect to the Iudgemente and condemnation of wicked men In the latter comminge hee shall geeue Iudgement vppon al reprobates So that hee calleth that his glorye in this place which in another place he attributeth to his father in the same sence for hee meaneth simplelye the deuyne glorye which then shyned in the father onelye forsomuch as it was hid in him M. The glorifyinge of Christes bodye maketh verye muche for this glorye some sighte whereof the Apostles had It is also well approued by the companye of all the Angells whiche shall waite vppon him and by the power of Iudginge also And all his Angels vvith him As if he should saye I which nowe seeme to be base and of smal reputacion by your contemptible seruice and waytinge will then appeare wyth a trayne of Heauenlye souldiours and Angels For hee goeth about to expresse with what vertue and power hee shall come And the Apostle describinge the glorious comminge of Christ to the terror of the wicked and consolation of the godlye calleth the Angels that shall come with Christe the Angels of power when hee sayth It is verely a righteous thinge with God that hee recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled rest with vs when the Lorde Iesus shall shewe himselfe from Heauen wi◅h the Angels of his power with flaminge fyer which shall render vengeaunce to them that know not God and that obey not the Gospell of oure Lord Iesus Christe which shal be punished with euerlastinge dampnation from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power when hee shall come to be glorifyed in hys saintes Howe great the power of Angels is wee may see by that one Angell which sleyinge .185000 troubled all the host of the Assyrians And how great a multitude shall come with Christe wee are toulde in this that hee saythe And all his Angels with him And the Prophete Daniell describinge the comminge of Christe sayth A thousande times a thousande serued him ten thousande times ten thousand stoode before him that we mighte know that the nomber of Angels comming with him shal be infinite Then shall hee sit vppon the seate of his glorye M. Those thinges that are spoken toward the latter ende of this Chapter seeme to be spoken by the similitude of a sessions haule But what this seate of Iudgement shal be let no curious person in so serious a matter seeke This is certaine that hee shall come corporally and visiblelye in the cloudes to be seene of all the wicked Hee shall so come sayd the Angels as ye see him go into Heauen And Christ of himselfe sayd Then shall they see the Sonne of man comminge in the cloudes of Heauen with power and greate glorye Howe terrible this seate shal be to the wicked the Prophete Daniell declareth when hee sayth that the throne of Christe shal be like to a flaminge fyer Also accordinge to the maner of the Scriptures the Lord is said to sit as Iudge when by iust Iudgement he deliuereth the innocent and punisheth the wicked So the Prophete Dauid saide Thou haste maintayned my righte and my cause thou arte set in the throne that iudgest righte The which truly is not so to be vnderstoode as though Christ also at this day sitteth not on the seate of his kyngdome gouernynge all thinges but that then he wil call all things openly to iudgemente and will declare his glorye 32. And before him shal be gathered all Nations And hee shall seperate them one from another as a shepeherd deuideth the sheepe from the goates And before him shal be gathered C. With large and magnifycent titles hee extolleth his kingdome that the Dysciples mighte learne to hope for another felicity than that whiche they had conceiued in their mindes For they thoughte this sufficiente to haue their counterye deliuered from myseries with the whiche at that time they were oppressed that it mighte appeare that God had not made his couenaunt in vaine wyth Abraham and his posteritye But Christe doth farther extende the fruite of the redēption which hee brought because hee should be the Iudge of the whole worlde and to the ende hee might exhorte the faythfull to a godly life hee denyeth that the same shall belonge to the good and bad alike because hee shoulde bringe with him the rewarde which is layed vp for them both And the summe of his woordes is that the state of his kingdome shal be then profited when the iuste haue obtayned the crowne of glorye and when the rewarde which the wicked haue deserued is payed vnto them Al Nations sayth hee shal be gathered before him Bu. namelye from all partes of the worlde when hee sitteth on his trybunall seate By al Nations hee meaneth al those that are deade and those also which shal be founde then at that day lyuing as teacheth the Apostle Paule in the fourthe Chapter of his first Epistle to the Thessalonians And in another place hee sayth Wee must all appeare before the tribunall seate of Christ that euery man may receiue the workes of his body accordinge to that hee hath done whether it be good or bad And hee shall seperate them M. This seperation also is noted before by certaine similitudes as by the fanninge and pourginge his flower by the similitude of the tares by the net cast into the sea But in that this seperation of the sheepe and goates is differred vntill that daye hee declareth that the wicked and reprobate are nowe mixt with the godly and electe that both of them may liue together in one flocke of god And the Prophete Ezechiell seemeth to vse this cōparison wher the Lord complayneth thus I will put a difference amonge the sheepe amonge the weathers and the goates Was it not anoughe for you to eate vp the good pasture but ye must treade downe the residue with your feete Wherefore the wordes of Christ tende to this ende that
simili M. As in the parable going before our sauiour Christ declared that we must not loke that al the hearers of the gospel shoulde be bringers forth fruit of the same because the greater parte sholde here the same in vain that those which bring forth fruit sholde not be alike in fertillitie euē so in this parable all are admonished lest that the mindes of the godly by tediouse ircksomnes sholde quaile fainte when they beholde a cōfused mixture with the good the euil For although Christ purifyed made clene his church with his blud so preciouse that it might be without spot or wrincle yet notwithstandinge he suffereth it to haue many vyces Wee speake not here of the infirmities which remain in the fleshe to the whiche euerye one of the faythefull are subiecte after that they be regenerate by the spyrite of God but so soone as Chryste hath congregated and gathered to hym selfe his small flocke many Hypocrites insinuate them selues many peruerse men crepe in and many wycked personnes intrude theim selues and so it commeth to passe that this holy company and flocke of Christe whiche he hath segregated to hym selfe is defyled and stayned with many spotts But this seemeth absurde to many that vngodlye prophane and wycked men shoulde be nourysshed as it were in the bosome of the Churche There are some whiche vnder the coullour of zeale being more waywarde curiouse and frowarde then nedeth excepte all thynges be framed accordynge to theyr mynde which because absolute and perfecte puritie appereth no wheare eyther troublelousy departe from the Churche orelles do ouerthrow and destroy the same with importunate rygoure Wherefore this is the symple scope and meaning of the parable that loke howe longe the churche of God hath his abode and contynuaunce in earthe soo longe shall good and syncere men be myngled with wicked ones and hypocrytes to the ende the chyldren of God myghte arme them selues with paciēce might holde fast the constancie of faith among so many stombling blocks and offences with the which they myght be troubled The kingedome of heauen is lyke vnto a man. A. That is to say The heauenly kyng and Messias is like vnto him which sowed good seede in his fyelde Or thus The like happened to the Messias which some tymes happeneth to the husebande man when he soweth his seede Some thincke it a greate deale better that the Gospell be called the kingedome of heauen as if he shoulde saye The like happeneth to the preacher of the Gospell whiche some times happened to him that sowed good seede 25 But while men slept his enemy came and sowed tares amonge the wheate and went his way But vvhile men slepte B. Christ in this parable hath rehearsed certaine thinges whiche in his exposition in the .37 verse and in the other folowinge he hath not repeated at all as this whyle men slepte the seruauntes asked the master of the house Diddest thou not sow good seede in thy field wilt thou that we go and wede them vp and suche like that herby they myght be taught exhorted which preache and publyshe the wordes of Chryst vnto others that they wolde not be more subtil curiouse then Christ both in other places of Scripture and specially in parables but to count it sufficient for them to bestowe and cōmit that to their herers which they se Christ wold haue cōmitted and let such so handell parables that they onelye take that thing for the which they are broughte The which thing Chrisostome also more vnderstoode then he shewed and in dede declared Such truely are al the parables of Christ that if thou wilt geue to euery part his exposition thou shalt do nothing els by that thy subtill curiositie but omyt let passe both that whych Chryste specially wolde haue obserued and also bring thy selfe to mere triffels curiositie confoundinge it selfe As shal in the xx and .xxv. chapters herafter following more plainely apere but specially in certaine parables of Luke But because the fathers haue handled those thynges whiche were not expressed of Christ the aduersaries of the truth also haue vsurped those thinges to defend theyr errours as expressing the sentences of Christ somthinge shall be spoken here not without cause for to profyte the busines woorke of the trueth His ennemy came C. The deuyl is saide to sowe when we be a slepe to the ende he mighte craftely corrupte spoile our labours that if any com in the night he might not be sene but may depart no mā knowing what he hath done The deuyll also is not knowne when as he doth transforme him selfe into an angell of lyght M. By this kynde of speaking therfore the crafts deceites of sathan are signified with the whiche by a collour of Hypocrisie he dothe so obscure and hyde the sowing of his tares that ye cannot perceiue any one print of his fote steps so warely doth he work his deceit C. Notwithstanding wee must here se what Christ vnderstandeth by the wheat and what he meaneth by the tares This can not be expoūded of the doctrine as if he should haue said when the Gospell is sowne it is strayght way corrupted by wicked inuentions imaginatiōs for Christ wold neuer haue forbidden to be diligent in purging such corruption For we maye not suffer those wicked errours which do infect the puritie of faith so or in such wise as those vices whiche concerne pertayne to the manners of men and can not be corrected are to be borne withall Furthermore Christ saying by name that the children of the wicked are tares taketh away all doubte Notwithstanding we must note farther that this can not simplely be vnderstoode of the persons of men as thoughe God in his creation dyd sowe good men and the deuyll euyll men The which thinge we therefore admonishe you of because by this place the Maniches were abused But truely we knowe that what faulte so euer it be that is as well in the deuill as in men it is the corruption of nature nothing elles As God therfore maketh not his elect whiche are infected with originall synne good seede by creation but regenerateth thē by the grace of his spirite So the deuill doth not create euyll men but beinge created of God he depraueth them and soweth them in the fielde of the lord to corrupt vitiate and defile the pure seede 26 But when the blade was spronge vp and had brought forthe fruite there appered the tares also M. Here we are taught that in the beginnynge of the sowing of the Gospell and the tares that is of the electe the reprobate the puritie goodnes of the field is not by and by knowne because the difference betwene the chyldren of God the wicked is not known vntil they be somwhat sprong vp grown For the reprobate according to the maner of tares are not much vnlike in the beginning to the elect at the first sight
them lyeth the iudgement of Christ do rashlye vsurpe vnto them selues the power of Angels the offyce perteyning vnto them And they shall gather A. By and by these reapers shall obeye the moste excellente Iudge Christ for they shall purge take awaye all occasions of offence out of his kingdome And them vvhich do iniquitye C. This is an exposition for hée declareth that those are offences stomblinge blocks which cōmit iniquity So that his words are in effecte as if hée should haue sayde then it is a meete and conueniente time to restore all thinges into a lawfull order because by that meanes the wicked are takē away which now are great offences The wicked are called offences because they do not onely liue wickedly to themselues but also because they doe destroy the fayth of many men they hinder some in the righte race some they seduce and tourne awaye and some they throw downe hedlonge to al kind of wickednes And hereby wée maye gather a most profitable admonitiō namely least wee being compassed about and beset with so many daungers go forward heauely and careleslye wheras in déede wée ought to be very dilygent in taking héede least wée throw oure selues cashlye into anye offence For loke howe many reprobate there bee so manye offences there are More ouer their nycenes is here corrected which are so dellicate and fyne that they will breake their race and tourne backe againe at euery small offence It is a very harde thing trulye some tymes not to stumble and oftētimes not to fall so many stumbling blockes lyinge in the way but wee must fortifye oure mindes with a sure and certaine trust because there is no doubte but that the Sonne of God whiche commaundeth his to passe through the myddest of offēces wil giue power and strengthe to ouercome them all Also hée denounceth horrible iudgement agaynst hypocrytes and all reprobates which séeme nowe to be the chiefe Citizens of the Church least they should trust to much to their vayne boasting 42. And shall cast them into a fornace of fyer there shal be waylinge and gnasshinge of teeth A. The interpretor retayned the Greke word In the lataine trāslation it is written into a fornace of fyer And the Hebrue worde is a fornace of fyre for a fornace the fyer wherof cannot be quēched a fornace of fyer and hell fyer signifyeth all one thinge In the eyghtene of Mathewe it is called hell fyer and in the ix of Marke likewyse also in the thyrd and fyue and twentye of Mathewe eternall fyer in the thyrd of Luke it is named fyer that can neuer be quenched C. As touching therefore the fornace of fyer there is no doubte but that it is so called by a Metaphor For as the endelesnes of the glorye whiche is layed vp for the sonnes of God doth so farre surmount oure sences and capacitye that we cannot with tongue expresse the same so the punishment payne and torment which remayneth for the reprobate because it cannot be comprehended in our myndes it is set forth accordinge to our capascitye in the name of a fornace 43. Then shal the righteous shyne as the Sunne in the kingdome of their father VVhosoeuer hath eares to hear let him heare M. This sentence maketh much to the consolation of the godlye whiche are oppressed in this worlde despysed persecuted reuyled and disdayned the wicked reigning and florishing in the Church A. Christ therefore affirmeth C. that the sonnes of God which are now cōpassed about with fylthines abased with the fellowship of the reprobate shal then shyne as the sunne in the Element the cloudes being caryed away And this word then being an Aduerbe of time hath a greate Emphasis and force in it for it cōteyneth a secrete Antithesis of the present state laste instauration and reedifyinge of the Churche with the hope whereof Christe doth comfort all the faithfull The sence therefore of this place is that althoughe many reprobates do now prosper and florishe in the Churche notwithstandinge wee muste hope for a happye daye in the whiche God will exalte all those that are his and wype away all fylthines with the which their shyning innocency is obscured and couered It is true certainly that the glorye to come is promised to none but to suche in whom the Image of God shineth and which are transformed by cōtinuall degrees of glorye into the same but because the lyfe of the Godly is now hyd and not manifested and their saluation because it consisteth in hoope is inuisible Christ doth worthely call the faithfull into heauen that they may enioy the glorye promised vnto them A. But as concerning the very glorye of the sonnes of God ther is much in the scriptures The Lorde seemeth to allude this place to the Prophesye of Daniell when hee sayth Many of them that sleepe in the dust of the earthe shall awake some to the euerlasting life some to perpetuall shame and reprofe The wyse such as haue taught other shal shyne as the glistering of heauen And those that haue instructed the multitude shal be as the starres worlde without ende C. To the whiche place Christ had respect to the ende hee might the better animate encourage his auditory as if hee had sayde the the Prophete when hee speaketh of the glory to come doth also note the temporall darkenes therfore according to the Prophesy he declareth that the electe must suffer the mixsture in the which they are mingled with the reprobate for a time A. And as the wicked are offences which are not onelye vnrighteous and deceytfull to themselues but do go aboute also to drawe other into error and iniquity euen so the children of the kingdome the electe and true beleuinge do not count it sufficient that they themselues do know the truth and embrace righteousnes but also they endeuoure themselues to bringe foorthe frute and study how they may drawe other to the sauinge healthe make them partakers of the true righteousnes whervpon the Prophete calleth them teachers and instructers of others As the sunne C. Hee comparing the glory of the faithfull to the lighte of the Sunne maketh them not equall to the same For as Christ doth nowe distribute his giftes diuerslye among the faythful so hee in the last day will crowne them But wee muste remember that which wee haue spoken before the onely the reedifying of the Church which is differred till the last comminge of Christ is compared with the cloudye darke state of the world In the kingedome of his father C. The kingdom of the father as it were the heritage of the godly is set agaynst the earth that they maye remember themselues to be Pilgrimes in this lyfe to the ende they may aspyre and come to the heauēly life For althoughe the kingdome of God is sayde to be in vs notwithstandinge wee shall not haue the fruition of the same vntill God be all
and to séeke with great care and dilygence for the precious stoone of the Gospell of the lord and hauing found it to embrace the same to preferre it before all the Iewels in the world and to sel all that euer wée haue to get the same This cometh to passe whē wée hauing denyed our selues and trodē the worlde vnder our féete withall oure hart and a true fayth receyue Christ and his truth and cleaue to the same as to the chiefe felicity leauing and forsakinge all that might withdraw vs from the euangelicall pietye cleauing only to Christ our reedemer Dauid of the most excellēt and pure mysteries of Gods worde speaketh thus they are more to be desired thē gold yea then muche fyne gold they are swéeter then the hony the hony combe Againe hée sayth I haue loued the commaundementes aboue golde and precious stoones 47. Againe the kingdome of heauen is like vnto a net that was caste into the sea and gathered of all kind of fishes Againe the kingdome of C. Christ here teacheth no newe thinge but confirmeth that wherof hée spake before with another similitude namelye that the Churche of God so longe as it is in the earthe must haue the good among the euil and the euill among the good and that it shal neuer be pure from blots and spots vntil the ende of the world when as there shall be made a full and perfecte seperation Notwithstanding peraduenture the ende of this parable is otherwise namelye that Christ might not onely take awaye the offence which troubleth many of the weake because such purity as ought to be is not found in the world but also that hée might kepe his Disciples in feare and modesty least they should flatter and please themselues with a vaine tytle and bare profession of fayth We receyue therefore both of them willinglye first in the Christ doth teach that wee must pacientlye suffer the mixture of the good and euill tyll the ende of the worlde because before that time the Churche shall not be perfectlye restored Secondlye in that hee admonisheth vs that it is not sufficient for vs to be gathered into the sheepefould vnlesse wee be the true and chosen sheepe to the which effect pertayneth the woords of S. Paule when hee sayth the Lorde knoweth those that are his let all those therefore depart from iniquity which cal vpon the name of the Lorde Is like vnto a net C. Our sauiour Christ dothe very well compare the preaching of the Gospel to a net drowned vnder the water to the end wee might knowe the presente state and condition of the Churche to be confuse For although our God as hee is the God of order and not of dissipation cōmēdeth and delyuereth vnto vs his disciplyne notwithstanding for a time hee suffereth hypocrits to haue their being among the faithfull vntill the reforming of his kingdome in the last day Let vs therfore endeuoure our selues so much as wée maye to correcte all maner of vyce and let vs be seuere in purginge awaye all filthye spots yet notwithstanding the Church shall not be frée from al spots and blemisshes before that Christ come to seperate the shéepe from the Goates 48. VVhich vvhen it was ful men drew it to lande and sate downe and gathered the good into Vessels but cast awaye the bad C. The effecte and sum of this sentence is that the Church can neuer be purged from hypocrits vntill wée be broughte to land or shore that is vntill wée be brought to the day of iudgement 49. So shal it be in the ende of the world The Angels shall come and seuer the bad from amonge the good A. For this sentence reade the exposition of the forty verce going before 50. And shall cast them into a fornace of fyer there shal be waylinge and gnas 51. shing of teeth Iesus sayeth vnto thē haue yee vnderstand all these thinges they sayde vnto him yea Lorde C. Hée calleth the punishment which the wicked shall suffer after the Iudgement a fornace of fyer Esaye the Prophete calleth it a worme which neuer dyeth Read the two and forty verce of this Chapter There shal be vvaylinge C. The scripture cannot sufficiently expresse the punishmēt which remayneth for the wicked Héere hee goeth about to expresse the horror and payne of the effecte for as wée cannot expresse the glorye and happye estate of the godlye and blessed so wée are not able to vtter the punishment of the wicked Iesus sayth vnto them M. The Lord sought by all meanes to instructe and bring hys Disciples to the knowledge of the kingdome of god And therefore being not cōtented that hée had alledged so many parables of the kingdome of heauen hée demaundeth of them whether they vnderstande all these thinges or no. But wée must remember that which wée saw before how that all parables were priuatelye expounded to the Disciples After the therefore the Lord had so gentlye and familiarlye instructed them hée dothe also admonish and declare that hée did not bestowe so great dilligence in teachinge of them that they shoulde be onlye wyse to them selues but also that they should bestowe and participate that to others publikely which they themselues priuatelye had receyued 52. Then sayd hee vnto them therefore euery scribe vvhiche is taughte vnto the kingdome of Heauen is like vnto a mā that is a househoulder which bringeth foorthe oute of his treasurie thinges newe and olde A. Wée muste presuppose that some other saying of our sauioure Christ went before as this I asked you because a minister of the word of God must be like vnto a husband man And after this sort hée doothe the more encourage styrre them vp to learne Therfore euery scribe that is taught C. A Scribe by the Hebrewes is not called a Scriueuer or writer but they call him a Scribe which is expert in the scriptures and the Lawe suche a one was Esdras And hée whom Mathewe calleth a Scribe Luke calleth a doctor of the law But here a Scribe signifieth a teacher one sufficientlye learned to set forthe the kingdome of God and to preach the Gospell of saluation Is like vnto a man that is an househoulder C. A wyse and prouident househoulder in gouerning his house doth not prouide for a day onelye but hath store layde vp to the ende hée may fetche forth from his store-house both olde and newe thinges abundantly By this man hée shéeweth that he which is sufficiently learned instructed by the spirite of the Lord to Preach must teach copiouslye and plentifully whatsoeuer pertayneth to the purpose and is necessarye to bring the knowledge of saluation euen as if a lyberall househoulder should fetche out of his storehouse all maner of daynty and dellicate dishes as well old as new so that nothing should be wātinge to the feast This lyberality trulye Christ both here and in manye other places also most plentifully shewed in bringinge
cōceiued of their master For they imagined that he should be the aucthor of earthly felicitie They were led therfore with a vaine hope gredely gaping for the time in the whiche he should reueale the glorye of his kingdome They wayed so littel in their mindes the ignominy and shame of the crosse that they thoughte it impossible that any thinge not honorable should happen vnto hym For this was a greuouse sayinge and circumstance that he should be reiected of the hye priestes Scribes in whose power the rule of the Church consisted Whereby we may gather how necessary this admonition was The Euangeliste Luke saythe And hee warned and commaunded them that they shoulde tell no man that thinge sayinge The sonne of mā must suffer many thinges and be reproued of the Elders and of the bye Priestes Scribes and be slaine c. Hée woulde not therefore at that time bee published to be Christe because hee should be crucifyed and reiected Of the seniors C. When wee heare that the elders and Scribes were the chiefe ennemyes of Christ wee maye sée howe great the discipation of the Church of Ierusalem was For the sacrifycers did not onlye sacrifyce but also teache therefore of the Prophete Mallachy they are called Angels or messengers These were then the ennemyes of Christ which coulde in no wyse abyde his Doctrine But and if this were spoken of the Priestes of Egipt or of the sacrifycinge Priestes and teachers of other Nations it had beene no maruayle but this is spoken of those Priestes which bare the chiefe rule of the Church of God in earth The which thing oughte to be an example vnto vs that wee suffer not our selues to be seduced and deceyued wyth counterfeytes whiche doe not their dutye truly and as they ought Let vs alwaye remember that Christ is the heade corner stone which the builders reiected as hée himselfe sayth to Phariseys in the one and twenty Chapter And be raysed agayne the thirde daye C. Because it coulde not be but that the onely mencion of the Crosse should trouble the infirme and weake mindes of the Dysciples Christ by and by séeketh to salue this sore saying that hée must ryse agayne frō death the .iii. day And truly whē as in his Crosse onlye the infirmitye of the fleshe appeareth our fayth shall finde nothinge to staye and lift vp it selfe vntill we haue respecte vnto his resurrection in the which the power of the holy ghost most brightly shyneth Therefore the Mynisters and Preachers of the woorde of God muste wysely way and consider this that when they couet to edify and to teach with profite they must alwayes ioyne the glorye of the resurrection with the death of Christ Let vs consider therefore that the absolution of true fayth and confession doth pertayne to this ende namely that wee beleue and confesse that the Lorde Iesus Christ dyed for our sinnes roose againe for our iustification For the which reade in S. Paules Epistell to the Romaynes 22. And vvhen Peter had taken him a syde he began to rebuke him saying maister fauour thy selfe this shall not happen vnto thee And vvhen Peter had taken him C. It was a greate signe of moderate boldenes for Peter after this sorte to take his Maister a syde howbeit hée might seeme to haue a consideration of the reuerence due vnto him when hée toke him asyde because hée durst not be boulde to reprehende before witnesses notwithstanding Peter exceded the boldnes of modestye to admonishe him to fauour himselfe as though Christ had not bene in his right minde Hee began to rebuke him M. Peter trulye loued Christ more then any one of the Apostels but his loue was to carnall as yet and not accordinge to knowledge therefore hée vseth more libertye in speaking to Christ as wee may see in manye other places So also here when hee thought that this thinge which hée hearde shoulde be a shame to Christ the sonne of God that it mighte be auoyded and did thincke that Christ was inflamed with a certaine impotent zeale and that hée was bent againste the wickednes of the elders Scribes and hye Priestes of Ierusalem whereuppon hee knew that hée should be afflicted yea killed by them being ignonoraunt of the mystery of redemption of the necessity of the Crosse of the will of the father of the end of Christes comminge for this cause hée taking Christ a syde rebuked him and goeth about to wythdraw him from his purpose Hée beinge affected with a preposterous zeale cōsidereth not what hée doth hee goeth about to hinder Christ from the worke of our redemption and from the fulfylling of the will of his father C. But such is the force of rashe and vndiscreete zeale and to this issue it dryueth men and so carryeth them hedlonge that they are not afrayde to take vppon them to teache God what hee hath to do Peter iudgeth it an absurde thinge that the sonne of God should be crucifyed of the Elders which came to be the redeemer of the people and that hee shoulde be put to death which was the Lord of lyfe And hereby wée are taught how our good intencions are accepted before God. So great pryde truly is naturally ingraffed in men that they thincke great iniury is done vnto them and do murmure if that please not God whiche they iudge to be right and good So that we sée with how greate pertinacye the Papistes do boaste and vaunt of their deuocions For trulye whē they do so arrogātly reioyce in them selues God doothe not onelye reiecte that which they iudge worthye of so greate praise but doth also condemne it as mere madnes If truly sence carnall iudgement mighte preuayle the intencion of Peter was godlye or at least tollerable But Christe so sharplye reproued him that hée could not put him to greater reproch For what meaneth so seuere a reprehension Question whereas hée shewed alwayes such gentlenes that hée brake not the broosed réede why then doth hée now so cruellye thonder against his electe chosen Dysciple The reason trulye is manifest namely because in the person of one mā hée woulde pacifye and staye all the rest least they shoulde séeme to alow their vndiscrete zeale For although the lustes of the fleshe in vnrulelynes are like vnto brute beastes yet notwithstanding there is no beaste more furious and vnrulye then the wysedome of the fleshe Therefore Christ so sharpely inueyeth against the same and doth as it were suppresse it with an yron mallet that wée learne onlye to seeke for wysedome out of the word of God to iudge that onely to be righte which the word of God doth alowe Fauor thy selfe The Lattine text is Propitius tibi sis the Gréeke text hath onlye Propitius tibi so that wée muste vnderstande esto or sis and the omittinge of the verbe maketh muche for the affection of Peter declaring that his minde did greatly abhorre the same
had erected the Church and had taken away the corruption hee restored the pure vse of excōmunication Notwithstanding there is no doubte but that the order of discipline which floryshed vnder the kyngdome of Christe succeded and came in the place stéede of the olde And trulye seinge the prophane Gentiles obserued and kepte the shadowed right and custome of excomunicatinge it is euidente that it was put into the myndes of men by God from the beginning that if any were polluted and vncleane they might be stayed from holy thinges It had bene a shame therefore and great reproche vnto the people of God to haue beene experte and altogether ignorante of that discipline of the which there was a remnant left among the Gētyles But Christe putteth that vnto vs which was obserued vnder the lawe because the matter standeth wyth vs as it did with the fathers And yet for all that it was not the purpose of Christ to sende his disciples to the Sinagoge which willingly suffered it selfe to be defyled wyth filthy spots and excomunicated the true and simple worshippers of God A. of the which matter wée haue an euidente example in the man that was blinde from his natiuity But hée admonished them that an order ought to be obserued in his Churche which order before time was appointed very Godly vnder the law C. If any man obstinatelye reiecte the first admonitions or continuing in hys vyce declareth himselfe to contemne the same when that he is admonished the seconde time againe before witnesses hee must be brought before the Iudgemente of the Churche that is before the Elders of the Congregation according to the cōmaundement of Christ where hée must be more sharpely reprehended as by publique Actoritye that if hée reuerence the Church hee may submit himselfe obey But if hee heare not the Church A. As if hée had sayd But and if hee be as yet so incurable that hee will not be corrected neyther by secrete and brotherly admonition neither by the conscience consent and agreement of two or three neither by the shame of the publishinge and disclosinge the faulte neither by the auctority of the Elders then leaue him to his sinne let him be cut of from the company of men and let him be of no better estimation then if he were a heathen or a Publican C. That which is spoken here of heathē men and Publicans confirmeth the former interpretacion where wée spake of those kinde of men For because heathen men and Publicanes were greatly hated and detested amonge the Iewes hée compareth vncleane and incurable persōnes to such Notwithstanding that heathen men and Publicanes were so abhominable in the sight of the Iewes Christ willeth them not to forsake them selues and to dispayre for of such his Church was gathered Neither is this place for their purpose which thincke that the faythfull oughte to abhorre the Publicane But Christ to the end he might the more easely be vnderstande of the rude and simple borrowed the maner of speache of the Countrey where hée was So that hys meaninge is that wee ought to haue nothinge to do with the contemners of the Congregatiō vntill such time as they repente C. Notwithstanding wee must not cast from them all hope of saluation but must commit them vnto the Lorde vntill such time as there appeareth some signe of repentaunce As concerninge heathen men and Publicans reade the fiue and sixe Chapters going before 18. Verely I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye binde on earth shal be bounde in heauen And what soeuer ye lose on earth shal be losed in Heauen Verely I say vnto you Bu. This sentēce pertayneth to the explication and confirmation of that which went before For because hee had said If he heare not the Church let him be vnto the as a heathen or a Publicane and because this mighte be the secrete aunswere or priuy thought of the brother which was the cōtemner If they despise mée I will despise them and if they condemne mée I will condemne them also because of these things I saye hee confirmeth here the Iudgement of the Church and vnder the testimony of an othe hee saith that before the Lord also they are eyther condemned or absolued which the Churche by deuyne Iudgement eyther absolueth or condemneth Therefore a iust excommunication ought to be feared but an vndeserued excommunication is of no force VVhatsoeuer yee binde on earth C. This place is nothinge at all like vnto the which is written in the sixtene Chapter goinge before but is otherwise to be vnderstode Yet wee make them not so contrary but that there is some affinity betwene thē Chiefly therefore they agree in this that they are both generall sentēces and that they haue alwayes one maner of power of binding and lowsinge namely by the worde of God both one cōmaundement and one promise And in this they differ that the former place in the sixtene Chap. of Mathew is peculiarly and specially to be vnderstoode of the Preachinge which the mynisters of the worde vse and this place pertayneth to the discipline of excommunication which is graunted vnto the Churche Christ there wente about to declare the auctority of Doctrine but here hee appointeth discipline which is an Appendix or thinge annexed to the same There hee sayd that the preachinge of the Gospell should not be in vaine but that it should be to some the sauor of lyfe vnto life and to other some the sauor of death vnto death here hee affirmeth that although the wicked to deride the Iudgement of the Church yet notwithstāding that it shall not be in vayne So that wée must remember this distinction that in the sixtene of Mathewe hee speaketh of the word preached simplely and here he speaketh of publique iudgement and discipline The Churche bindeth whomsoeuer it excommunicateth not that it casteth into perpetual ruine and desperation but because it condēneth his life and manners which is euell and doth admonishe him of his damnation at hande vnlesse he repente Agayne the Churche lowseth whomsoeuer it receyueth into the fellowshippe of the same because it maketh him partaker of the vnitie which is in Christ Iesus C. Therfore whosoeuer forsakinge his synne acknowlegeth his falte and craueth pardone at the hādes of the Churche the same is absolued and lowsed not onely of men but also of god On the contrarye parte whatsoeuer he be that maketh a scorne and iest of the admonitions of the Churche if he be condemned by the same he maye be sure and certayne that he is also condemned in heauen Neyther shall he haue nowe any more to do with men but the lorde him selfe shal be the reuenger If any mā do obiecte say that God by this meanes shall be as it were an vnder iudge which subscribeth to the opinion and iudgemēt of mortall men we may easely answere and say that Christ doth not geue authoritie to his Church to the ende he might diminishe the
behoulding the Sepulcher againe two Angels appeare vnto her of whom wee haue spoken already and do testifye vnto them that Christ is rysen do commaūde them to tell it vnto the Disciples but namely vnto Peter whiche euen now entered into the Sepulcher perceiued that Christ was risen At the length when these women returned into the Citty to tell these thinges vnto the Disciples they were confirmed againe as they went that they might the more bouldly affyrme the Lorde to be risen for Christe appeareth vnto them saluteth them Howbeit Iohn maketh mēcion of Mary Magdalene only And Marke doth not say that Christ met with them but sayth only that he appeared to Mary Magdalene betymes in the morninge But Luke maketh no mencion of this visiō at all but this pretermission oughte not to seeme absurde vnto vs seing that the Euāgelistes do oftētimes vse the same As touchinge the difference betweene Mathewe Marke this is to be considered that Mathew by a figure called Synecdochen dothe extend that vnto al which was proper to one This Marye Magdalene was of Galile was not the sister of Martha Lazarus as some folishly haue thought For Mary the sister of Martha was not syrnamed Magdalene but is alwayes called in the Scripture Mary the sister of Martha that there might be a difference betweene her the other Maries Of this Mary Magdalene Luke writeth thus And also certaine womē which were healed of euil spirits infirmities Mary which is called Magdalene out of whō went seuen deuils Wherby we may behould the great goodnes mercy of God who respecteth no persons but geueth most honor where most vnworthines is to beate downe the pride of fleshe 5. The Angell answered and saide vnto the women feare ye not For I know that ye seke Iesus which was crucified he is not here The Angell ansvvered A. To answere here is put for to speake according to the maner of the Hebrewes for they demaūded no questiō wherby answere should be said to be made He maketh mencion of one Angel only because but one and no mo spake vnto the womē Luke speaketh of two as appeareth by these wordes Behold two men stode beside thē in bright garments And as they were afraide bowed downe their faces to the earth they said vnto them Feare ye not M. It was the office of the Angel to geue testimony of the resurrectiō of Christ But goinge thereabout he doth before all other thinges cōfort the women that were afraid but he had made the wicked watchmen afraid For the resurrection of Christ is a terror to the wicked and to the godly a great cōsolation Whervpō he sayth Feare ye not As if he should say Be not ye afraide as those watchmen were which are gone away For I knovv This is the reasō why they ought not to feare as if he had sayd I know that ye are frends such as beleeue in Iesus I knowe that for the loue of Iesus ye are come hither wherfore there is no cause why ye shoulde be afraide of mee for I am here not an ennemye but your frende C. In Luke there seemeth a sharpe reprehensiō to be added thus Why seeke ye the liuinge amonge the dead 6. He is not here he is rysen as hee said Come see the place where the Lorde was layed Hee is not here M Now the Angell by plaine words beareth testimony to the resurrection of the lord Bu. As if he should say the body of Christ which was crucifyed buried is not now in the Sepulcher As he said C. He putteth them in minde of the wordes of Christe Bu. as if he shoulde haue saide Christ is the truth The truth cannot lye And he said that he would rise again Therfore he is rysen in deede C. We do se here that the Angels are sent to confirme the doctrine of Christ A. And that Christe had foreshewed his resurrection the Euangelistes do testify in diuers places Come se the Bu. To the ende they might be the more fully certifyed of all thinges he willeth them to haue experience to see with their eyes For he sheweth them the empty monumēt VVhere the Lorde vvas layed C. Behoulde how the Angels here call Christ the lord A. Euenso in another place it is said A sauiour is borne vnto you this daye which is Christ the Lord in the Citty of Dauid S. Luke addeth sayinge Remember how hee spake vnto you when he was yet in Galile saying that the sonne of mā must be deliuered into the handes of sinfull men and be crucifyed the third day ryse againe 7. And go quickly and tel his Disciples that he is rysen againe from the dead And behoulde hee goeth before you into Galile there ye shall see him Lo I haue toulde you And go quickely C. Here God doth adorne the women by the Angel with extraordinary honor because he committeth vnto them the charge embassage of the speciall part of our saluation Notwithstandinge this office was accidentall extraordinarye and enioyned to them but for a time They are commaunded to tell that vnto the Apostles which they afterward according to the office enioyned them preached to the whole world but they do not this as Apostles Therefore they do amisse gather a lawe by this commaundement of the Angel which do permit to women the office of baptizing Let vs be contented with this the Christe in them set forth the treasures of his grace in that hee made them once to be the teachers of the Apostles notwithstandinge so that hee woulde not haue that to be drawne into example which was done by a singuler priuiledge If any man obiecte and say that there was no cause why women shoulde be preferred before the Apostles whiche were no lesse carnall incensible than they wee aunswere that it is not in vs but in the will pleasure of the Iudge to put a difference betweene these them Furthermore wee say that they deserued to be more sharpelye reprehended which were not only taughte before other mē but also were ordayned to be teachers of the Church throughoute the whole worlde being called the light of the world the sault of the earth so foully did they fall The women therefore were sente to the Disciples to their reproche because they were so slow to beleue And behould hee goeth before you into Galile C. In that the Angell calleth the Disciples into Galile it semeth therfore to be done that Christ might make himselfe knowne to many For wee know that he was longe conuersaūt in Galile And hee thought it good to geue space vnto his Dysciples that euen in the very departure they might better remēber themselues Furthermore the custome vsinge of the places helped them to know their master For it was meete that they should be cōfirmed by all meanes least they should wante any thinge whith pertayned to the assuraūce of their faith Lo I
4. 〈◊〉 no 〈◊〉 perâ—…th God is lorde of the whole earthe God hath power to make blynde and to make see Faythe is not gotten by the wisedome of man. There is nothinge in vs to deserue Goddes election 4 King. 4. 1. King. 20. Actes 9. Quâ—… Auâ—… Wâ—…doâ—â— I gaâ—… notâ—… therâ—…â—…tion Roâ—… â—…es counâ—…d pourâ—…n not â—…red Aunswere Christe is the Image of the the father Iohn 14. The Papists know not the father Hyâ—â—â— notâ—… Chriâ—… Affliâ—â—â—…taynâ—… menâ—… Chriâ—… â—…h not â—…l to â—…to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. â—…offeâ—… scife â—…m Christ alone is our helpe in trouble The Papists reiect the yoke of Chryst The yoake of Chryste is sweete 1. epist. 5. Lukâ—… Thâ—… tiâ—â—â—â—â—…bothâ—… 〈◊〉 3. â—…es â—…t a â—…d â—…r a 〈◊〉 Iohn 6. 2. Cor. 11. The vse of the Sabaoth 1. King. 21. Exoâ—… Leâ—… Nâ—… hathâ—… Lukâ—… 〈◊〉 2. â—…ent â—…e to 〈◊〉 Osee 6. Aunswere Maâ—… â—…ght not â—…rre ceâ—…es beâ—… word 〈◊〉 â—…rouâ—… We ought rather to breake the Sabaoth daye than the rule of charitie Iohn 5. Luke 6. Maâ—… A 〈◊〉 zeale Wâ—â— anâ—… omâ—… â—â—er â—…oâ—… â—…de â—…rde â—…to 〈◊〉 Tyrauntes that are enemies one to an other becoÌ„ frendes to destroy Christe Ephe. 2. Iohn 7. Philip. 2. Iohn 7. Theiâ—… in seâ—… scureâ—…â—…ry of 〈◊〉 forthâ—… â—…p 2 〈◊〉 2 Christe is become a seruaunt for vs. Luke 23. 1. Pet. 2. There is no perfect loue in any creature sauing Christ alone Math. 3. Iohn 1. Psal. 110. â—…e comâ—… brouâ—…des Perseuerance pertaineth to the ministers of Christe Iohn 110. Mark. 3. Luke 11. Thâ—… and 〈◊〉 God. 〈◊〉 10. 〈◊〉 hath â—…d the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Dissention strife is a dedly thinge Esay 3. Iosep li. 6. cap. 13. Math. 24. Actâ—… â—…s 8. Gene. 3. Math. 8. Thâ—… reâ—… witâ—… destâ—… Sâ—… 〈◊〉 3. Iohn 10. Luke 8 Neweters Ambo dexters lukewarme men are here reprehended Blasphemye Blasphemye is to die with out repentaÌ„ce Auâ—… Bâ—â—â—â— of thâ—… â—…phemye â—…rocedeth â—…orance â—…misible â—…s 7. â—…riginal â—…phemy â—…ion â—…were â—…o 1. â—…nes ar â—…auing â—…thâ—…ataÌ„ce I manifeste signe of a reprobate Math. 3. Purgatory pedlers Aunswere Origenâ—…â—…rour Hypâ—… Lukâ—… â—…ection â—…swere Math. 23. Math. 3. Flatterye begileth simplicitie The tongue bewrayeth the secrets of the hart Math. 15. Idellâ—… Coloâ—… Iudâ—… doth â—…throâ—…â—…sionâ—…â—…nes Epheâ—… Papists â—…er vpon place inâ—…ation by â—…kes 〈◊〉 16. â—…e 8. Iohn 6. Actes 7. Iud 6. Esay 38. Esay 7. Aunswere 1. Cor. 1. Lukeâ—… Ionaâ—… and 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 19. 〈◊〉 22. 2. Cor. 6. Gods election God is no respecter of persones Roma 3. Verse 39. 〈…〉 â—…sery â—…uer â—…o do Ephe 6. Sathan entereth not into the faythfull 1. Sam. 2. Esay 4. 2. Pet. 2. Luâ—… 〈…〉 Luke 2 Faithfull meÌ„ are the brethreÌ„ of Christ 2. Cor. 5. We ought not to forsake Christe for our parentes Iohn 6. Matth. 17. To beleue in Christe is the fulfilling of Gods will. Lâ—… Ioâ—… 〈◊〉 tâ—… oâ—… 〈◊〉 Lâ—… 〈…〉 vse Marke 4. 1. Peter 1. The Gospell is the frutfull seede of life Psalm 40. â—…tion 〈◊〉 5. 〈◊〉 9. â—…were 〈◊〉 4. â—…inâ—… wicâ—…e 〈◊〉 9. 2. Cor. 2. God calleth the electe by his Gospell Marke 4. Psal. 138. Lukâ—… Nâ—… reâ—… theâ—â— Esay 6. Actes 28. Rom. 11. Iohn 12. Actâ—â— Thâ—… cauâ—… secâ—â— causâ—… elecâ—â— Ezâ—… â—…ri 3 â—…nde of â—â—s poâ—â—ntes Repentaunce is not the cause of remission of sinnes Repentaunce is the ordinary way to saluation Roma 10. Luke 10 Iohn 20. 2. Cor. 3. Luke â—… Abrahaâ—… Christeâ—… faythe 〈◊〉 4 Sathan is an ennemy to the seede of Gods word Iames. 1. The Gospell hath power to fructifye Vntâ—… hearerâ—… Carâ—… pellâ—â— â—…anye 〈◊〉 1. 〈…〉 Affliction is a stomblinge blocke Worldely cares are a let to fructifie Luke 14. Luke 6.12 and .16 1. Timo. 6. Iames. 5. Math. 19. Obâ—… Anâ—… Mâ—â— otâ—… naâ—… 〈◊〉 seede 〈◊〉 forth â—…urall 〈…〉 â—…o 3 â—â—nde 〈◊〉 true â—…ccepâ—… God. Math. 25. Ephe. 5. The church of Christe in earth is defiled with many hipocrites 1. Gâ—… â—…proâ—… the â—…e minâ—…â—…ther Worldlinges Math. 16. 1. Cor. 5. The apostels are compared to leauen Ioseâ—… de aâ—… cap. 〈◊〉 The lorde is easy to be intreated Ephe. 2. 1. Petriâ—… Iames â—… Iohn â—… Veâ—â— â—…urch â—…e in â—…lde â—…er be 〈◊〉 â—…tistes 〈◊〉 23. Iohn 4. Iohn 15. Iohn 4. Iohn 9. Math. 3. Math. 25. Verse 3â—… Vngodly meÌ„ are stumbling blockes Maâ—… Maâ—… Maâ—… Lukâ—… Corâ—… mayâ—… reprâ—… â—…repaâ—…â—…he â—…s 〈◊〉 8. 〈◊〉 15. 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 3 〈◊〉 12. Worldly pleasure is obscure darke in respect of the glorye to com Luke 17. 1. Cor. 15. Worldlye sightes do bewitche oure sences Present thinges are esteemed more theÌ„ the thynges that are inuisible Aâ—â— Altâ—â— vileâ—… of the 〈◊〉 Richâ—… coÌ„mâ—… 〈◊〉 3. â—…ll life 〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 55. Psalm 19. Psalm 109. A time of seperation will come 2. Timo. 2. Math. 25. Esaye 66. Punishmente prepared for the wicked 1. Esâ—… Lukâ—… â—…hers â—…bounde â—…wledge 〈◊〉 20. â—…unce 〈◊〉 not to â—…aâ—… â—…ence â—…ardes 〈◊〉 housâ—… Math. 24. Marke 6. Luke 4. Luke 1. Matth. 2. Luke 2. Math. 2. Marke 6 Luke 4. Diligence ought to be vsed in hearing Gods word Tiâ—… toâ—… diuâ—… Chriâ—… Obâ—â— blindâ—… Chapâ—… 〈◊〉 9. 〈◊〉 12. New things please men be they neuer so badde Chaâ—… Faithâ—… fideliâ—… parcâ—â— theâ—… Luke 23. Lib. 5. Chap. 18. chap. 9. chap. 6. chap. 9. Tyrantes euer feare 2. Timâ—… chaâ—… â—â—iences â—â—e gylty â—…es acâ—…m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1â—… â—…nes beâ—…â—…nished 〈◊〉 is inâ—…d Exod 28. Iosep li. 18. de antiqui cap. 10. Boâ—â—â— oughâ—… a prâ—â— Godâ—… Twâ—… to beâ—… in reâ—…tion 〈◊〉 fered â—…ohn â—…e Preachers of Gods worde must auoyde flattery Feare alwais commeth to the wicked Math. 21. Feastynge is not without many euilles Marke 6 Iob. â—… Dâ—â— notâ—… dabiâ—… 〈◊〉 6. 〈◊〉 conâ—… euer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are â—…ous â—…hat 〈◊〉 them The euyl maners of parentes do often times corrupt their children Two thyngs ought to be obserued in swearynge Rashe vowes Vowes monasticall Psaâ—… 〈◊〉 patiâ—…â—â—rder â—…on â—…were Burial is to be reuerenced Buriall pertaineth to sainctes Iohn 1. Maâ—… Chapâ—… 〈◊〉 6 Luke 9. Christ careth both for soule and bodye Iohn 6. chap. 6. chap. 6. Chaâ—… Mattâ—… God 〈◊〉 the haâ—… â—…wer â—…iste â—…es geâ—… vnto 1. Thes 4. Titus 1. Luke 24. Esay 58. 1. Cor. 10 1. Cor. 11. Chap. 29. 2. cor 9. God blesseth the labours of his seruantes 〈◊〉 gâ—â—◠〈◊〉 chapâ—… Pleâ—â— richâ—… blesâ—… lorde 〈◊〉 6. 〈◊〉 1 〈◊〉 5. Deut. 6. Myracles are not wonderfull vnto vs because wee see them daylye Occasions of euill ought to be avoyded Chriâ—… and 〈◊〉 Thâ—… of pâ—â— Scâ—â— prayeâ—… 1. Tâ—◠〈◊〉 maye â—…d in all 〈◊〉 â—â—on â—…were Exod 14. God oftentymes tyreth his seruants to the vtmost Mans minde is blinde Deâ—… Sâ—… anâ—… Lukâ—… Fâ—â— timâ—… awâ—…â—…ces 〈◊〉 â—…itude 〈◊〉 vs to 〈◊〉 God. â—…tâ—…â—…e Luke 24. Rashe zeale Aunswere Peters infirmity is commoÌ„ to al men Thâ—… of 〈◊〉 â—…chies Fâ—â—â—…rethâ—…â—…ger Dâ—… geâ—â— daâ—◠〈◊〉 18. â—…firmiâ—… borne 〈◊〉 at the 〈◊〉 god â—…tion Aunswere Perseuerance and constancy must be